Railway braking apparatus



' Jan. 17, 193,3. H. BONE RAILWAY BRAKING APPARATUS Filed March 24. 1931 NVENTOR.

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llr: Inra nl! Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT L. BONE, OF SWISSVALF', PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA RAILVAY BEARING APPARATUS Application filed March 24, 1931. Serial No. 524,782.

,l is a transverse sectional view of the braking apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, showing on a somewhat larger scale, the positions which the parts occupy when the braking apparatus is engaging a car wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified fornrof a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig.l 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4L. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring irst to Fig. 1, the reference character 1 designates a railway track rail which is supported by tie plates 2 secured to the usual cross ties 3, and along which cars normally move in the direction indicated by the arrow. Located on opposite sides of rail 1 are two braking bars B and C, each comprising a plurality of beam sections 6. Each beam section 6 is provided with the usual wheel engaging shoe 7. Fivotally supported in the trackway adjacent each beam section 6 are a plurality of trunnions D. Each trunnion D is connected with the adjacent beam section by means of a resilient link G, the links G being disposed at acute angles with 'the rail in such manner that movements of the beam sections in directions parallel to the ytrack rail will result in movement of these sections toward and away from the rail, that is to say, into the closed and open positions of the braking apparatus. The construction of the links D is such and the beam sections are supported in such manner that when the braking bar-s are in the closed positions and a beam section is engaging a car wheel, thereby causing the springs of the links which are connected with such beam section to become compressed, a limited amount of tipping of this beam section will take place as illustrated in Fig. 2, this tipping causingy the associated brake shoe to engage the car wheel at a higher point and, therefore, a more eiiective point than would be the case if this tipping did not take place.

Pivotally supported in the trackway are two cranks 10 and 11. The crank 10, is provided with a pin 12, on which is journalled a driving link 13, the free end of which is provided with an upstanding post 14 which enters a suitable socket formed in the underside of the intermediate beam section 6 of braking bar B. It will be apparent, therefore, that clockwise movement of crank 10 will move the intermediate section 6 of braking bar B toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1. In similar manner, crank 11 is connected with the intermediate section 6 of braking bar C by means of a driving link 2l so that this intermediate section will move toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, when crank 11 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. The free arms of the cranks 10 and 11 are intended to be connected by means of links 15, with suitable operating mechanism for rotating the cranks simultaneously in opposite directions, such for example, as the operating mechanism shown and described in my copending application for Letters Patent of the Unite-d States, Serial No. 307,895, filed Sept. 24, 1928, for railway braking apparatus. This operating mechanism is omitted from the drawing since it forms no part of my present invention.

The beam sections of each braking bar are connected together at their adjoining ends, by suitable articulated connections embodying my invention, in such manner that movements, in directions parallel to the rail 1, of the intermediate sections 6 which are operated by the cranks 10 and 11, will cause corresponding movements of all of the sections of the associated braking bar. One form of articulated connection which may be .em-

ployed for this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. As here shown, each beam section is provided at one end, preferably the entering end, with a vertically disposed T-shaped tongue 8 which enters a vertically disposed T- shaped recess 9 in the confronting end of the adjacent beam section. Vith this articulated connection, it will be apparent that if crank 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction and crank 11 in a counter-clockwise direction, as described hereinbefore, the braking bars B and C will each move toward the left as a unit, but that, if crank 10 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and crank 11 in i a clockwise direction, the braking bars B and C Will then each be moved toward the right as a'unit. Furthermore, it will also be apparent that when the braking bars are in their closed positions and a car wheel is about to pass from a given beam section to the beam section next in advance, the entering end of the beam section next iii advance will not only be forced away from the rail the Same distance as Ithe leaving end of the given section, but will also be tipped or raised approximately the saine amount as the given beam section is raised by engagement with the car wheel. As a result, when the car wheels pass from one beam section to the next, there is no shock either to the car wheels or to the braking apparatus so that a more effective braking action takes place, and the life of the apparatus is greatly lengthened due to the decreased strain.

Another form of articulated connection which may be employed for connecting the adjoining ends of the beam sections of each braking bar together is illustrated in Figs. 4 5 and 6. As here shown, each beam section is provided at its entering end with an integral web 16 having an integral iipstandiiig circular pin or post 16a which enters a bushed circular recess or socket 17 1 located in the underside of a projecting portion 17 formed on the adjoining end of the adjacent beam section.

To relieve the lateral strain on the post 16a due to the previously described tipping of the beam sections when the beam sections are engaging a cai' wheel, the web of each section is also provided with a laterally projecting abutment 19 which engages a corresponding abutment 20 formed on the adjoining end of the adjacent beam section.

The operation of the apparatus when provided witli the articulated end connect-ion ust described is similar to the operation of the apparatus when provided with the end connection previously described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3, and will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawing without describing it in detail.

One advantage of braking apparatus enibodying my invention is that the beam sections, in addition to performing their normal function which is to operate the brake shoes, also form part of the operating mechanism of the apparatus. This makes the use of driving bais and complicated driving mechanism unnecessary, and permits of ready access to the crank structures and associated parts. Furthermore, by reducing the number of operating parts to a minimum, it reduces the amount ot' friction in the braking apparatus, thereby permitting a reduction in the amount of power which must be provided to operate the apparatus. In addition, the number of parts subject to wear is reduced, and the cost of manufacture is also reduced.

Although l have herein shown and described only two forms of railway braking apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims wlthout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a beam section for a car retarder, said beam section being provided at one end with a vertically extending T-shaped tongue and at the other end with a vertically extending T-shaped slot adapted to receive a T-sliaped tongue on the end of a similar beam section.

2. Railway braking apparatus comprising two beam sections located end to end beside a track rail, one of said sections being provided at the end adjacent t-lie other section with a T-shaped recess, a T-shaped tongue formed on the adjoining end of the other section and entering said T-shaped recess, mear-.s connected with one and only one of said sections for moving such section in directions parallel to said track rail, said T-shaped tongue and recess serving to connect said two sections together in such manner that movements of such single section in directions parallel to the track rail causes corresponding movements of the remaining section, and means effective when said sections are moved in dino rections parallel to said track rail for moving said sections toward the track rail.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERBERT L. BONE. 

